


Searching in the Night

by lustig



Category: Metal Fight Beyblade | Beyblade: Metal Fusion
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M, MFB Secret Santa 2k18, Pining, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 23:36:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17171609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lustig/pseuds/lustig
Summary: Da Xian came back from Rome, lovesick and unhappy, until the first letter of Julian reached him. His friends see this change without being able to make sense of it, but they realise that whomever he had met during his week abroad, he was seriously gone for him.So they organise a little present for him, speak with the Headmaster of the school, steal the address of the Italian guy and get Da Xian a flight - the least they can do for him is make sure that he is reunited with the stranger for Christmas, which they know is more important in Europe than in China.





	Searching in the Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dantalixn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dantalixn/gifts).



> This fic is dedicated to Jamie, [dantaelixn](https://dantaelixn.tumblr.com) on tumblr.  
> It is my gift to her as part of the MFB Secret Santa 2k18.

 

_…_

_One of my friends was humming ‘_ Don’t Stop Believing’ _just before I left them, earlier today. I don’t know what to do. Every time I hear that song I see you, sitting at your grand piano, playing. I mean, it’s not only_ that _song. There are far too many tunes I associate with our night in your mansion now._

_Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s bad. I like these constant little reminders, the little moments where I realise that no, you –_ we _– were not just a dream. But it is hard. I miss you. Zhou Xin looks at me funny; he doesn’t understand what love is. Maybe he never will. And I think Chi-Yun is actually jealous. Mei Mei is cool about it; we’ve been closer than ever since my return. I am not sure if she understands, but she can listen, and I value her advice._

_…_

_I could probably record a few of the tunes if you want to? Wales is always making fun of my voice, so I could even sing, just to spite him. I, too, can’t play these songs anymore without thinking of you, so I play them just to feel close to you, to fill the silence your absence has left me in with music._

_I have far too much time now, again. No nightly trips, showing you around the Roman backstreets. I don’t need to hunt, with Klaus by my side, as you very well know, and Sophie is getting better at holding Wales back from doing anything stupid, too. So I usually sit on the wall – call me nostalgic, I am old, I am allowed to be – and read Chinese poetry to the strays. I’ve always loved cats, and they have grown used to my presence there, and some of them even stop to listen for a while._

_Thank you for the recommendation of that author! It is, indeed, a delightful read. When we meet again, we could sit down a night or two to talk about a few of his poems? I would like your opinion on how I interpreted one or two of his works because the meanings differ and I am curious about how you think he meant that._

_…_

_I am sorry that I kept you waiting for so long, but we had exam week – which is finally over, to my great delight – and I simply didn’t have the time to answer your letter in between learning myself and teaching the younger students a few things they didn’t understand._

_But we now have a few weeks where school will be a little less crazy. It started snowing earlier, and Chi-Yun already asked me to come out as soon as it stopped, he deserves the distraction. I am looking forward, too, to spend a little time outside, without needing to worry about exams anymore. If it doesn’t stop soon, though, it will be too dark. I think I’ll head to bed soon. My mind feels numb, empty. How do you and your friends – or should I say clan? – fare this time of the year? I heard Italy has very little snow, and it doesn’t really get cold, either. Do vampires feel the cold? Do you have any crazy anecdotes concerning snow and your beloved Rome?_

_Please pass on my thank you to Klaus, his idea was pretty great and helped me a lot. I would have never thought of that, myself, honestly, it’s just so… would you be offended if I call it_ German _?_

_Anyway, I stumbled over that book, just the other day, and I thought you might enjoy it. From what I’ve heard (I haven’t yet had the time to read it myself, with all those exams) it should be very similar to the one you send to me a few weeks back, except a little more Chinese, and you told me that it was one of your favourites._

_…_

Da Xian sighed quietly and lowered the latest letter Julian had sent him. He had, indeed, sent a few anecdotes about Rome “buried” in snow – which apparently already started with about ten centimetres, at which point public transport was rendered useless, and schools were closed because Italians couldn’t deal with that kind of weather.

 

It made him want to smile and cry at the same time.

 

That had happened a lot, since he had left Rome, now nearly half a year ago. He was so happy, whenever he heard of the Italian, but at the same time torn apart by the loneliness his absence left him in.

 

He had never expected to fall in love. His studies were too important to him, his training. But it had happened, at a speed that frightened him. Had it something to do with Julian being a vampire? Did they have a kind of siren song, luring their victims to them?

 

Da Xian knew that Julian didn’t want him as a victim. If he had, he could have taken him then and there in Rome, on the first night. Or maybe the second, or third, after playing a little with him. Vampires were like cats, Da Xian had learned. They were hunters, but they wanted to play with their prey.

 

Julian wanted him as an equal. He had offered to turn him, then and there, to keep him by his side, but accepted as readily to let Da Xian finish his studies first, before even considering the eternal life offered to him. It had made him fall in love just a little more.

 

“Hey, loverboy,” Zhou Xin greeted him, slumping down next to Da Xian on the sofa. He stole a glance at the sheets in his friend's hand and gave an amused snort.

 

“Your Italian again?”

 

Da Xian restrained from snapping at his friend. Zhou Xin had a strange way of caring for people, but he did, and he only wanted what was best for Da Xian, star student of the Beylin School for Young Adults.

 

“Yeah,” he answered instead and shook himself out of the melancholy he had felt himself sinking into. “It’s been nearly half a year now.”

 

“And you miss him. Told you long distance wasn’t a good idea. Totally sucks, feeling like you have an obligation but being unable to actually follow through with what you wanna do.”

 

Zhou Xin smirked, stretching himself lazily on the couch.

 

“Exams went alright, I guess? Well, it’s you, anything below acing everything would probably mean you’re either sick or dying. Hey, does lovesick count as sick?”

 

“Shut up, Zhou Xin.” His sigh, this time, was louder.

 

The younger boy looked remorseful for about half a second, then his face smoothed out into indifference again. Da Xian got up, taking the letter and his books with him.

 

 

~

 

 

Zhou Xin wasn’t a good person. He had never learned how to be one. He was pretty, he was smart, and he had always known that he was. He had learned at a very young age that girls liked the Bad Boy attitude. The a little uncaring, a little arrogant asshole. And he had perfected that role, to a point where it became the real him.

 

But even if he weren’t a good person, he would stand up for his friends.

 

Friends were important. He hadn’t realised that for a long time. But they were. And if they needed him, he would come. That his fans fawned over that, too – him being a good friend, standing up for his friends, fighting for his friends – that was only a lucky coincidence he learned to value very fast.

 

Zhou Xin wasn’t a good person. But he learned to be better than he was, and even he couldn’t ignore the change that had happened with Da Xian after his return from Rome.

 

He didn’t know how being in love felt like. He knew how being adored felt like, but none of the girls (or boys, by now) had ever really woken his attention. They were fans, followers, nothing more.

 

But Da Xian had fallen hard, for a boy – a man? – none of them knew.

 

The first week after his return Zhou Xin had still thought it would end soon, the infatuation. That Da Xian had only enjoyed his time in Italy so much that he was upset about having to come back, that he held onto the idea of that guy because he wanted to keep something special from this week.

 

After the third week, Zhou Xin had given up hope. Da Xian had still been more gloomy than usual, more snappish, even if he excused himself as soon as he realised what he had said or done.

 

Then the first letter had arrived, and all of a sudden, Da Xian was like a completely different person.

 

He had found back his cheer, his energy, his vigour. His enthusiasm only receded when a letter was overdue. And as much as this silly behaviour confused Zhou Xin, he wanted to hold onto this Da Xian. His happy smiles, his softer eyes, his absent expression when he stared out of the window.

 

Da Xian was a lot less intimidating when in love. Less strict, less imposing, less cold boiling anger.

 

So when Da Xian got up from the couch, obviously upset, Zhou Xin didn’t hesitate for long before going to the Headmaster’s office.

 

“I want to request a special holiday for my friend,” he greeted the man behind the desk when he was finally called in. “He is your best student, and if he doesn’t get this holiday, his performance will suffer. But he is too proud to ask for it himself. And he shouldn’t learn that I asked for him, either.”

 

 

~

 

 

Chi-Yun didn’t usually listen to Zhou Xin’s ramblings. He always talked about this girl or that boy, and it bored the kid to no end.

 

But he listened to Zhou Xin when he was talking about Da Xian. Da Xian was important and Chi-Yun’s idol. Chi-Yun would do anything to see Da Xian happy, and even if he didn’t really understand why right now the star child was far from happy. He had been since Italy, really. He nearly reached his happiness-standard whenever one of the letters came, but it didn’t stay.

 

So when Zhou Xin asked him if he wanted to help make Da Xian happy again, he focused completely on the older boy’s words, to a point where it seemed to unsettle the womaniser.

 

“Da Xian has met this dude in Italy,” Zhou Xin explained, and Chi-Yun shook his head disapprovingly. He already knew that. A literature loving, music playing Italian who obviously had too much time and money on hand.

 

When Zhou Xin asked how he knew that he shrugged, slightly embarrassed.

 

“Sometimes I sit next to him when he opens the letters. In our study sessions, where he explains stuff to the other ones in my year. Sometimes he gives us a task to solve in silence, and I’m always the first one who’s finished, and his Italian writes on both sides of the paper, so when he holds the letter up, I can read it.”

 

“What does he write about?” Zhou Xin asked, curious.

 

Chi-Yun shrugged again.

 

“Different stuff. His friends, whom Da Xian obviously met, books they both read, the music they both enjoy. Sometimes it gets really sappy.” The kid shuddered. Adults could be really gross.

 

Zhou Xin smiled, interpreting the behaviour of Chi-Yun correctly but not commenting on it any further.

 

“In Europe, they have an important religious celebration, this time of the year –,” he started but was disrupted by an angry glare of the youngster not a moment later.

 

“I know, Christmas. I’m not stupid.”

 

 _Get to the point,_ Chi-Yun’s glare said. So Zhou Xin continued, jumping over all the information he had gathered, _gladly_ , to explain his little plan.

 

“I want to send Da Xian back to Italy, over Christmas, so he can spend it with his Italian. Exams are over for now, and Da Xian is too good for this school anyway, so the Headmaster is okay with it, too, but I also need the Go from the Italian before simply sending him over or even telling Da Xian that he’s going. Do you think you can get me the address of that dude so I can write him a letter?”

 

Chi-Yun stared at him with that intense, unsettling gaze again, and Zhou Xin tried not to do anything he would consider as embarrassing, like twitching or fiddling with his fingers or something equally uncool.

 

“You actually can be decent if you want to,” the small boy finally declared and nodded seriously. “I will get you the address. Tonight, after dinner?”

 

Zhou Xin grinned broadly.

 

“Sounds good to me!”

 

 

~

 

 

He waited for Mei Mei in front of the room her last class was taking place in. When she came out, and he waved her over, he saw a few other girls staring at Mei Mei with jealous anger, and flashed them his most winning smile.

 

They burst into a fit of giggles and disappeared down the corridor, leaving him alone with her.

 

“Zhou Xin, what is it?” Mei Mei asked, definitely curious. They talked nearly never, even if they were both friends with Da Xian. She disapproved of his constant flirting with everyone, his fear of commitment, and he didn’t feel the need to impress her. So he didn’t try.

 

“You are probably the person who knows most about Julian Konzern, besides Da Xian, aren’t you?”

 

Her eyes formed into slits, the distrust heavy in the air.

 

“Why?”

 

This might turn out to be harder than persuading Chi-Yun. Zhou Xin ruffled his hair with an impatient sigh and started to explain: “Because Da Xian misses him, a lot, and even I’m aware of it. I asked the Headmaster for a leave of absence for Da Xian so he can spend Christmas in Europe, and Chi-Yun got me the address of that Italian. But you know more about him than I do and I wanted to ask if you could write him a letter for me and ask him if it’s okay that Da Xian comes over for Christmas.”

 

Mei Mei blinked at him, in astonished silence.

 

“You asked the Headmaster to give Da Xian a few days off so he can visit Julian?”

 

“I didn’t tell him the reason. But Da Xian is clearly unhappy, and I told him that if he doesn’t get this leave, his performance will suffer. The Headmaster was very happy to oblige when he heard that. Can’t let his star child die, I suppose.”

 

Mei Mei still stared at him, not unlike Chi-Yun had done it, and it unsettled Zhou Xin. Was it such a surprise that he tried to take care of his friend? Maybe it wasn’t worth the whole effort after all if all of the people he talked to acted as if someone had taken over his body and mind.

 

“And you already have the address?” she finally continued.

 

“I do. So, are you okay with it? Will you do it?”

 

Zhou Xin didn’t try to sound too eager, but he suspected he succeeded only in part with that.

 

“Yes, I will.” Mei Mei finally smiled at him, laughter and delight sparkling in her eyes. “Thank you for doing that, Zhou Xin. You’re pretty decent after all.”

 

Zhou wanted to bristle, he was not just _pretty decent_ , he was _bloody amazing_. But Da Xian was more important right now, and so he simply lowered his lashes, smiled, and started to outline what he would like to have in that letter. Mei Mei listened with rasp attention.

 

 

~

 

 

Zhou Xin stared at the letter he had gotten, just this morning. It was written on fine, heavy paper, in dark blue ink, and the envelope felt like heavy silk when he had held it, the first time. Everything about it screamed _expensive,_ and _I have too much money, I’m not even using that to impress anyone_.

 

He had seen Da Xian’s letters. He knew that his were from the same paper. How did he not feel cheap when he wrote back on the standard issue school paper they had lying around?

 

It wasn’t even two weeks since he had sent out his letter, written with the help of Mei Mei, and he already held the answer in his hand. There was a Priority Post sticker next to the stamp. Well. Christmas was approaching fast.

 

Zhou Xin had retreated to his room to read the letter in peace, without any questions from his friends or fans.

 

It wasn’t a very long letter he had gotten in return. Just a short note about how Julian would be delighted to have Da Xian with him over the holidays, and thank him for asking. He had also written that they shouldn’t worry about plane tickets or anything, he would take care of that.

 

While Zhou Xin still stared at the paper in his hand, thinking if there was any more, possibly hidden meaning behind the words, an energetic knock on his door disrupted the silence around him. He stuffed the letter and everything with it under his blanket.

 

“Come in!”

 

The door opened to reveal Da Xian, clutching a letter on his own in his left. He looked pale.

 

“How?” the older boy demanded to know, “And don’t play stupid with me!”

 

So Zhou Xin didn’t. He told Da Xian about his observations, how he had seemed so unhappy after his return, how he looked like suddenly reborn from flames whenever a new letter reached him. How he had asked both Chi-Yun and Mei Mei for help because he knew he wouldn’t be able to pull this alone. How he didn’t want to see his friend unhappy.

 

The hug came out of nowhere, and Zhou Xin would forever deny that he nearly twitched back in anticipation of being hit before the embrace.

 

Da Xian didn’t let go for so long that it started to be embarrassing, at least to Zhou Xin. But he wrapped his arms around the older boy anyway, squeezing softly to let him know _it’s all right it will be alright don’t worry_ , as his mother had done to him so many times when he was younger.

 

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Da Xian pulled away.

 

“There were plane tickets in the letter I got this morning,” he explained, “and Julian wrote that it was all already cleared, thanks to my _friends_. He didn’t even say names, but Chi-Yun is too young to even try to pull that and Mei Mei believes in breaking the rules as much as I do.”

 

Zhou Xin was the only one who could have pulled it off, Da Xian didn’t say. The younger boy heard it nonetheless.

 

“ _Thank you_.”

 

 

~

 

 

Da Xian startled awake when the plane started its descent. It was early evening outside, already dark thanks to winter’s short days. His brain felt like lead, still not awake enough to think clearly. But he recognised the street pattern of Rome from above, memorised when he had last left the town. He smiled and yawned, got ready to depart the plane soon.

 

Julian had given him tickets for First Class. Of course. That man didn’t have a modest bone in his body.

 

It was the most comfortable flight he had ever had.

 

Customs and everything coming with it went by in a haze, no one asking any major questions, the queues surprisingly short and before he could even try to feel prepared, he reached the Arrivals area.

 

Klaus huge bulk stood out among all the other waiting people, and Da Xian steered his steps in his direction.

 

 _I can’t come myself_ , Julian had written, _the airport is on the wrong side of the Tiber. But Klaus will come to pick you up. And I will be waiting. I feel like a fledgeling again, barely turned and out on its first hunt, overwhelmed by all the new smells and impressions. Thank you for accepting the invitation._

 

“Klaus,” Da Xian greeted the tall German friendly. He smiled down at him and tilted his head in the direction of the door. And like it was the most normal thing in the world, he picked up the luggage Da Xian had brought with him, carrying it outside.

 

“Glad you could make it. It’s good to see you again, Da Xian.”

 

A white limousine stood in front of the exit and Klaus headed for it without a second’s hesitation. Dazed, Da Xian followed him, took his seat in the back of the insanely long, elegant car, and marvelled at the excellent sound cancellation on it’s inside.

 

He nearly fell asleep again on the short trip, exhausted from hours of flight, but the light glittering on the Tiber as they crossed it made him realise how _close_ he finally was, again, to Julian, and his heart did a painful little jump in his chest.

 

The limousine stopped not long after, still far away from the mansion, and Klaus nudged him in his side, pointing at the door.

 

“We’ll get your stuff to the mansion. But you should get out here.”

 

One of the manservants in the car already opened the door, and Da Xian, trusting the confident tone of his companion, stepped out.

 

It was warm, in comparison to China, a few degrees over the freezing point, and the golden streetlights along the river promenade reflected in a million little sparkles on the water, turning it into liquid fire. Not a great many people were out; it was dinnertime and not a working day, too.

 

There was only one man in the imminent surroundings Da Xian could spot, leaning against the balustrade next to the bridge as if in deep thought. He turned around when Da Xian’s gaze caught him, and the Chinese faltered, the elegant jawline, the chiselled features suddenly making it plain who it was he was staring at.

 

He crossed the remaining distance in fast, hurried steps and sank into the waiting arms of Julian Konzern, reunited at last on the shore of the Tiber.


End file.
